-   Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council,

-  Commissioner for the AU Political Affairs, Peace and Security

-  Your Excellencies, Distinguished Permanent Representatives

-  Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good afternoon!

Your Excellency,

1.   Thank you for inviting the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) to brief this esteemed Council on the current situation in the Republic of South Sudan and the status of the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), pursuant to its mandate.

2.   This briefing builds on my last briefing to this Council on 28th October 2025, and the RJMEC’s most recent quarterly report covering the period 1st October 2025 to 31st December 2025, which will soon be published. 

3.   As the official oversight body overseeing the implementation of the R-ARCSS, I wish to inform this Council that the political and security situation in the Republic of South Sudan has greatly continued to deteriorate, and the implementation of the Revitalised Peace Agreement has been severely undermined. 

4.   In addition to the previously reported March 7th Nasir incident and its aftermath, as well as the subsequent arrest, detention, and prosecution of the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny and other top SPLM/A-IO officials before an ad-hoc Special Court, serious violations of the R-ARCSS continue unabated. 

5.   The unilateral removals and replacement of opposition nominated representatives from their various portfolios in the Executive of the Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity (RTGoNU) and the Transitional National Legislature at national and state levels continue, without consultation and consensus, which is eroding the power-sharing framework of the R-ARCSS. 

6.     In terms of security, there are growing incidents of armed clashes between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO in different parts of the country, including in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Western Bahr El Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and Western Equatoria States, in clear breach of the Permanent Ceasefire. According to reports from CTSAMVM, the incidents of armed clashes have occurred in six out of the ten States and three administrative areas.

7.     These developments pose a serious threat of irretrievable breakdown of the Permanent Ceasefire between the SPLA-IO and the SSPDF if urgent steps are not taken to cease the current hostilities and resume dialogue at the highest political level. This will require addressing the issue of the detained First Vice President and the other SPLM/A-IO leaders being prosecuted, embracing dialogue and returning to full implementation of the R-ARCSS in letter and spirit.

8.     Consequently, the humanitarian and economic situation continues to worsen, and is exacerbated by the ongoing armed conflict, climate shocks, depreciation of the national currency, the SSP, and cross‑border displacement from Sudan. The people of South Sudan are once again bearing the brunt of renewed conflicts.

    Your Excellency

9.   At the end of last year, the Presidency and other political leaders met and proposed the delinking of the Permanent Constitution-making process and the National Population and Housing Census from the 2026 elections. By implication, these would require amending specific provisions of the R-ARCSS. A technical committee of the Parties was therefore assigned the task of identifying the provisions of the R-ARCSS requiring such amendments. 

10.    Subsequently, the Council of Ministers approved the technical committee’s proposal for amending the R-ARCSS, as incorporated into the Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (TCRSS), 2011 (as amended).  Last week, the RTGoNU submitted the proposal to the RJMEC for its consideration, as per Article 8.4 of the R-ARCSS. In this regard, I have organised a series of consultative meetings with RJMEC members, stakeholders, partners and guarantors of the R-ARCSS with a view to arrive at a consensus that will determine its endorsement or otherwise.  

11.    In particular, several members of the RJMEC have raised concerns over the continued suspension and detention of the SPLM/A-IO Chairperson and First Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. Dr Riek Machar Teny and his exclusion from such serious decision-making process and the ongoing unilateral replacements of SPLM/A-IO representatives from their ministerial and legislative portfolios. 

Your Excellency

12.    In light of the aforementioned, RJMEC recommends to this Council the following urgent actions to restore the sanctity of the R-ARCSS and to encourage a return to its full implementation. 

a.    Prevail on the Parties to the Agreement to cease all forms of hostilities, embrace inclusive genuine dialogue, re-activate the implementation mechanisms of the Agreement and fully adhere to the Permanent Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements. 

b.    Urge the leadership in Juba to desist from taking actions that further erode the political trust and confidence in the Revitalised Peace Agreement and ensure that the political disagreements are resolved through dialogue and disputes are addressed through the mechanisms of the R-ARCSS;

c.    Assist the RTGoNU to resolve the current political and security impasse and secure the release of the First Vice President and all political detainees in order to facilitate meaningful dialogue and a return to the implementation of the R-ARCSS;

d.   In support of the peace process, mobilise and extend financial and logistical support to facilitate the expeditious implementation of the critical tasks of the R-ARCSS, including completion of the unification of forces, the making of the permanent constitution and preparations for elections;

e.    Call upon the RTGoNU to reconstitute itself as per the provisions of the R-ARCSS, particularly restoring SPLM-IO portfolios and move with urgency to implement the R-ARCSS in letter and spirit, and to adhere strictly to its provisions, including upholding its supremacy; 

f.     Appeal to all the Parties to the R-ARCSS to embrace dialogue and to agree on practical steps to realise free, fair and credible elections and a democratic end to the Transitional Period as provided for under the R-ARCSS;

g.    Engage the RTGoNU with a view to expediting the establishment of the Hybrid Court for South Sudan to investigate, and if necessary, prosecute those bearing responsibility for any crimes committed during this Transitional Period; 

h.   Consider putting in place measures to hold peace spoilers and violators of the R-ARCSS accountable; and 

i.     Remain seized of the situation in the Republic of South Sudan. 

I Thank You.